A Stomping Grape Time

NOT my legs on the left (or the middle, depending on your viewpoint)

As you know, we’ve been gone for a few weeks. Before we tell you about those more distant adventures, we thought we’d mention some place much closer where you can enjoy a somewhat different expedition. The early weeks of fall would be a perfect time to check it out.

A few weekends ago, Cute and I headed to Excelsior Springs, where we found, with the help of Google and despite a half-mile of a chat road, a place called Fence Stile Vineyards, Winery & Distillery.

I didn’t know that a fence stile is basically a topless step ladder that goes up one side of a fence and down the other so you can place it over a fence and not have to have a gate.  It’s like an X on both sides with the steps in between.  Since it’s also portable, it makes a great deal of sense.

This bucolic, rolling  hills, and vine-laden area is not just a vineyard, but also a tasting room with cheese and snacks, tours, classes, and special events, both indoors and out. There’s lots going on there Thursdays through Sundays.

It was a gorgeous, not too warm day and Cute had signed us up for grape stomping. I had visions of me being a grape-throwing Lucy Ricardo, but in shorts. It wasn’t quite that, but it was entertaining. Some helpers brought from the vineyards buckets of grapes. A lot of grapes, plus a bit of water was added. The grapes were smaller and crunchier than I expected . . . kind of like popping plastic bubble packs, but with a bit of a tingle.  You can enjoy the same experience as they are still harvesting.

The good news of course, if you’re a wine drinker, is that these personalized footstomping grapes are not used in the production of their wine. I admit I’ve never been a huge fan of Missouri wine, it’s something about the after-taste, but I really liked the samples we tried.  Well enough for an extra  glass, or two. Our extremely friendly host and owner, Shriti Plimpton, said they use no additives or sprays of any kind - it's all pure grapes whether Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles, or Chambourcin and Concord varietals.

I also didn’t know that there were over 115 wineries in Missouri. This creats about 32,000 jobs and over $236 million in tourist expenditures according to Missouriwine.org. As a result nearly 679,000 gallons of wine are sold annually. It makes me proud to be a consumer!

It’s also a distillery and they make their own rum and brandy, which Cute tried and pronounced very flavorful. And of course, everything is for sale, not only in their tasting room and patio but as a to-go also. 

We listened to a sweet young woman, very talented, Chace Curtis, sing and strum for a couple of hours. She will return to perform at the vineyard on October 4. These next two Saturdays they have Jim Thomas and Bob Morrison singing and playing on the outdoor stage.

They also have a wine cave, which was added in 2014. For an extra charge there is a tour of the cave which is already on our fall calender.

Their website is fencestile.com where you can learn more and sign up for tours and tastings. Their motto is “Good fences make good neighbors, a fence stile makes neighbors good friends! Make friends!” They make that easy to do.  Go and see for yourself.